PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
# Be Payroll Emma Keech MCIPPdip, payroll supervisor, Grafton Group PLC, shares her personal experiences of being a member of, and studying with, the CIPP
Can you describe your payroll journey to us so far? You hear about falling into payroll and I’m one of those cases! I’ve worked in payroll for over 20 years now, which seems insane because that time has gone extremely fast. After leaving university, if you told me I would be in payroll for two decades, I’d laugh, but I just love it. It’s fast-paced, with room for developing yourself both professionally and personally. I have also worked with many brilliant people (both internal and external stakeholders), making genuine connections and sharing our payroll journeys. I’ve worked in different sectors: retail, catering and manufacturing. Each role has presented new challenges and the chance to develop. Alongside UK payrolls, I also process Irish payrolls which I really enjoy and it’s wonderful to have the variations. During those 20 years, many changes have taken place, from both a legislative and cultural perspective. Payroll’s profile has risen – it’s finally gained the long overdue respect and acknowledgement that it’s a department which offers a vital function and deserves a place at the strategic table. Hurrah! Why did you choose to become a CIPP member? At the start of my career, payroll wasn’t seen as a valuable function. It felt like we were just a department on the sideline which simply paid people, and we went pretty much unnoticed. Also, sadly, payroll was never openly promoted as a career, so I wasn’t initially aware of the CIPP. I learnt a lot on the job, which was enough to make me excel and successfully achieve my goals. It wasn’t long after joining the CIPP as an associate member that I realised the immense gains of being a member. Which membership benefits have you used or enjoyed the most and how have they helped? The Advisory Service has been a godsend. The team is always helpful and it’s certainly a comfort knowing that any guidance is easily accessible, especially if you have queries around new legislation. Sometimes the HM Revenue and Customs website is enough, but other times it’s good to have the opportunity to talk something over. I also love Professional Magazine. The articles are always relevant to new legislation and keep you up to date. The presentation and content are relatable and engaging. Also, regular sections are always an informative read, especially ‘ On Your Behalf’ and the compliance articles. What advice would you give to those new to the payroll profession, just starting out in their careers? Firstly, great choice! Payroll is now an ever-changing dynamic environment which offers a myriad of paths – not simply end-to-end processing.
If they’re passionate about payroll, start gaining qualifications. Soak up all that knowledge and apply it at every given opportunity. I feel that, until recent times, experience seemed to rule as a recruitment requirement. As I previously highlighted, payroll was hardly ever promoted as a career. In hindsight, I wish I knew about the CIPP earlier and the opportunities it presented. Alongside qualifications, join professional platforms like LinkedIn and start networking to create valuable connections and seek out opportunities. What qualification(s) have you studied? I was fortunate enough to be sponsored by my employer to complete the CIPP Foundation Degree in Payroll Management. Following an assessment, I was able to skip year one. I graduated in 2023 and was awarded Work-Based Project of the Year, which was an honour to receive from Helen Livesey (the senior business director at Hays). It was certainly wonderful recognition of the many hours I invested in the assignment – some of which were while I was on holiday! How would you describe your experience of studying with the CIPP? I was initially apprehensive about the course, because although I already have a degree, it’s not in payroll and I graduated in 1998. At that point in time, my knowledge was achieved through learning on the job and one-day training courses, which didn’t necessarily result in a certificate. It turns out I loved revisiting studying. The course was well organised, and the tutors were excellent. They were always on call if you needed guidance or advice. It certainly wasn’t a breeze at times, but it was highly rewarding. I learnt way more than I anticipated. Why was it important to you to gain this particular qualification? I wanted to gain this qualification for professional development. Other professionals may agree that you can find yourself in a role where you’re not exposed to all areas of payroll so your skills and / or awareness may reduce and become less effective. Or conversely, that you’re exposed to all areas meaning the skills / awareness become stretched too thinly. Do you have any plans for further study with us? If so, what are they and why? I don’t have any plans for further CIPP study at present. However, I’m currently studying for an Irish Payroll course with IPASS. I have been processing Irish payrolls for several years now and I’m finally working towards a qualification. Better late than never. n
12 | Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | March 2024 | Issue 98
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